Cedar Arbor

My third project ever, also from 2009. This one was unplanned, designing-from-the-hip. Took me 27 hours start to finish. It’s not perfect, but Mom is very happy with it and few things in life are more important than brownie points with the fairer sex.

It’s funny how no one can see the flaws in the projects like the builder. I too just started in woodworking in the last two years, but my projects thus far have not been as bold as yours. Very nice work on all of these.

Thanks for the kind words, Wayne & a1Jim. My approach to woodworking, so far, has been to add one new type of joint to each new project. I’ll admit that I jumped into the deep end on a lot of these, and there were several moments of feeling like I was in over my head, but I think there’s potential for more personal satisfaction through challenge (as well as the potential for disastrous learning experiences).

I’m pretty squeaky with my money, and it always hurts a little bit when I invest in nice lumber for a project and worry about making mistakes, but more and more I’m learning to be okay with it and to allow myself to screw up. As long as the screw up teaches me something, it wasn’t a waste of wood/money. (and as long as I remember the screw up so I don’t do it again) :)

Wayne, that box you made for your wife is gorgeous! And I’d argue it’s just as difficult to make something small, delicate and highly detailed as it is to make something with a lot of big puzzle pieces. So far I’ve stayed away from miters… I wonder if there’s an actual phobia for cutting angles…. because I have it.